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Battle of Kula Gulf
and in action at Kula Gulf, seen from | partof = the Pacific Theater of World War II | date = 6 July 1943 | place = Kolombangara, Solomon Islands | result = Inconclusive | combatant1 = | combatant2 = | commander1 = Walden L. Ainsworth | commander2 = Teruo Akiyama † | strength1 = 3 light cruisers, 4 destroyers | strength2 = 10 destroyers | casualties1 = 1 light cruiser sunk, 168 killedMorison, Breaking the Bismarcks, p. 194. | casualties2 = 2 destroyers sunk, 324 killedNevitt, Combinedfleet.com, http://www.combinedfleet.com/lancers.htm & Morison, Breaking the Bismarcks, p. 174. Breakdown of deaths by ship: Niizuki-300, Amagiri-10, Nagatsuki-8, and Hatsuyuki-6. | campaignbox = }} The naval Battle of Kula Gulf (Japanese: クラ湾夜戦) took place in the early hours of 6 July 1943 during World War II and was between United States and Japanese ships off the coast of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands. Background On 5 July, United States Navy Task Group 36.1 (TG 36.1)—commanded by Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth and consisting of the light cruisers , , and , plus four destroyers, had received word of another "Tokyo Express" mission down "the Slot" in the Solomon Islands, and the task group proceeded northwest past New Georgia Island. The Allies were in the process of launching their next offensive in the Solomon Islands, having just landed troops on the island of Rendova as a preliminary step to seizing the major Japanese airstrip at Munda on New Georgia Island. In support of this landing, which was to set up an initial beachhead for moving U.S. troops across Blanche Channel to New Georgia, Admiral Ainsworth had the night before conducted a cruiser bombardment of Vila on Kolombangara Island and Bairoko on New Georgia and, short of fuel and ammunition, was in the process of retiring to the Coral Sea to replenish. A U.S. Marine landing was scheduled on the northern shore of New Georgia on 10 July, that would require further naval support. Battle At 01:06 off Kolombangara, the task group came into contact with a Japanese reinforcement group commanded by Admiral Teruo Akiyama which consisted of ten destroyers loaded with 2,600 combat troops that were bound for Vila, which they used as a staging point for moving into Munda. The Japanese were divided into two forces, a formation of three escorts trailing the main column first came under attack. The U.S. ships opened fire at 01:57, firing 612 shells in 21 minutes and six seconds, quickly sinking the destroyer and killing Admiral Akiyama. However, Helena had expended all of her flashless powder the previous night, she was forced to use smokeless powder, thus illuminating herself to the Japanese ships with every salvo. Two of the Japanese destroyers launched their Long Lance torpedoes and hit Helena, fatally damaging her. The main Japanese force, which had countermarched away from Vila with the first contact, then broke away, having landed only 850 of the 2,600 troops. The Japanese destroyer ran aground, while was damaged. Both forces began to withdraw from the area, but one Japanese and two American destroyers remained to rescue survivors. At about 05:00, the destroyers and exchanged torpedoes and gunfire. Amagiri was hit and retired. The beached Nagatsuki was abandoned by her crew in the morning, she was bombed and sunk by American aircraft. Aftermath The destroyers and Nicholas both stayed behind to rescue survivors from Helena. While rescuing over 750 men, Radford and Nicholas had to reengage the enemy three times, they were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their rescue. Amagiri escaped and later rammed and cut in half the motor torpedo boat [[Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109|USS PT-109]], captained by future President of the United States John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), in Blackett Strait southwest of Kolombangara. Namesake The U.S. Navy escort aircraft carrier —in commission from 1945-1946, 1951-1955, and 1965-1969—was named for this battle. Notes References * * * * * * * * * * External links *Description by Vincent P. O'Hara *Order of battle *[http://www.combinedfleet.com/niizuk_o.htm Article on Japanese destroyer ''Niizuki.] Kula Gulf Kula Gulf Kula Category:1943 in the Solomon Islands Kula Gulf Category:1943 in Japan